Invisible Bees (Hugh x Millard)
by PuppetPainter
Summary: This is a story that ships Millard and Hugh! It's kind of tragic, but I hope it's touching too. If you don't like it, the warnings ahead, so don't read it. Thank you...it's a cross between the movie edition and the book edition.
1. Prologue

(Disclaimer: This book and its characters don't belong to me; however, the story plot is all mine, besides the memories. The memories are mostly written in the book.)

I, Millard Nullings, am a pathetic lover. I guess this has to be stated that even as incredibly intelligent as I am, I also have my own weakness. Yes, you guessed it: Love. Love, romantic issues. I mean, how can you _not_ suffer from that kind of thing? You see Emma and Jacob wandering around, laughing, and then Olive and Enoch, almost taking the other's lips off (Author's note: according to the movie), and then last but not least, here we are, stuck in a pathetic situation of a love triangle. I love Hugh, Hugh loves Fiona, and Fiona can't decide whether she's going to love Hugh back and get me as her enemy, or if she's going to, well, don't love _anybody_ and disappoint Hugh.

It's brilliant.

Of course, Emma and Jacob are always on my side, but sadly, Enoch and Olive are on Hugh's side. Incredibly cliché, I know, but I'm not lying. It's how it is, and I'm just saying the truth. The truth up to about 50 years ago. Or maybe that's 8 years in human years. Something like that. It's one of the only things I don't want to keep track of, as hard as it is.

Hey, I took _3 years_ of my life to just study pigs! It's hard for me to not count up the days of how long I've liked Hugh, okay? And how long he's been dating Fiona, how long it's been since her incident…how long since I haven't seen him…

Oh yes, back then, I was about 15, and it's been 6 years since I've seen _any_ of them, Hugh, Jacob, Enoch, Olive, Emma, Bronwyn, Claire, Horace, and Miss Peregrine, even. Or any of the others, any from other loops. I've almost not seen a single peculiar _soul_ for my 6 years in the outside world. I'm in America, somewhere _not_ in England, at least, I can assure you that, and I'm thinking of moving to the other side of the Pacific, just so that I wouldn't have to meet them. At all.

I remember those days, where Enoch was still an immature grouch, and Olive was a pretty redhead that wore a tiara in her hair, those days when we almost _died_ trying to save Miss Peregrine. When Jacob first showed up, and then, when he discovered he could see hollows, how he saved us all. And then, when we discovered the _Tales of the Peculiar_ could lead us to different loops, found out what the wights were planning to do, how he could control hollows, how he saved us, and destroyed the Library of Souls…and then, Hugh.

Hugh, weeping at Fiona's funeral, weeping for her disappearing.

And how he blamed me…

Yes, I was there. I wasn't captured like the rest, I was there at Miss Wren's, completely naked (Do NOT say anything!), and I watched them push her off the cliff, and I could've helped her, I could've stopped them from doing that…but I couldn't.

How could I?

Hugh was _mine_ , I couldn't stand him falling in love with another girl…it made me happy for some reason when he was on a boat with me, when he talked to me…and I must be going crazy.

Hugh found out one day after I accidentally drank some of the wine Miss Peregrine's and started blubbering (me and my big fat mouth) that I could have saved Fiona. He was so mad, and then he refused to have _anything_ to do with me.

So I left.

And here I am, in the Americas, and I can tell you the complete story of my leaving, but then again, that's another story.

Let's first start this one.


	2. Chapter 1: Back at Miss Peregrine's

"Oh please, Miss Peregrine," Olive pleaded. Now 20 (assuming she was 14 by movie appearance), she and Enoch was planning their marriage, and right now she was in a heated conversation. "Won't you _please_ go find Millard? He doesn't even have to stay for the cake!"

"Well, I think if you told Millard that there was to be cake and attendance presents there's a more likely chance he'd be coming," Enoch replied. He looked to Horace, who was frowning so deeply someone would've thought him angry.

"No, I've told you, this suit doesn't…birds, _stop moving_!" Horace grumbled, once again adjusting the suit that Enoch was wearing. "There! Now, on your wedding day, you mustn't touch _anything_ sticky. This is my finest suit that I was planning to leave alone, reserved for _my_ own purposes."

"Such as?" Enoch asked.

"My wedding, my first date, my…why am I telling you this stuff?" Horace said, and pulled on his bowtie until it was stiff.

"Well, he has to cut the cake," Olive said.

"Besides that. Don't wipe the knife on your sleeve."

"He also has to pour the wine," Olive added.

"Don't spill and he can," Horace agreed. He walked away, then returned. "I need my cane," he said.

"You look like…" Jacob began, but then Emma pinched him in the forearm.

"Here you go," Emma said and threw the cane. Horace caught it and tipped his hat.

"Thank you, milady, but I would sincerely prefer it if you didn't throw it. Gentlemen don't catch things that are thrown across the room."

"Horace is still the same as he was when I met him 6 years ago. I wonder how Millard is doing…" Jacob wondered, holding Emma's hand.

"Yes, darling," Miss Peregrine, who had been listening, suddenly spoke.

"Yes what?" Olive asked. Miss Peregrine stood back and admired her handiwork on Olive's wedding dress.

"Yes, I will try to find him, but do not tell Hugh of his coming until he has arrived at the wedding hall. I don't want him to throw a fit and ruin your wedding."

"Yes, thank you so much, Miss Peregrine!" Olive exclaimed and hugged her. Miss Peregrine transformed into a bird and Olive watched her fly out the window.

"So, what is it with Millard? Why'd he leave in the first place-" Jacob asked but closed up the minute he heard footsteps coming down the hall.

"What's going on down here?" Hugh asked.

In the past 6 years (according to book age), he grown another couple of inches, now near 6.2 feet tall.

"I'm watching Enoch change into his bridegroom suit," Jacob explained.

"And me, Olive," Emma quickly said. Olive and Enoch showed Hugh their suits.

"Does it fit?" they asked. Hugh gave no accurate reply, just, "That would have been me and Fiona if she hadn't been killed."

The room went silent. Hugh walked back out and the talk continued.

"Um…that was nice. What would he do if he saw Millard?" Emma whispered, watching Hugh disappear up the stairs.

"We have a problem, children," Miss Peregrine said, flying back through the window, soaked.

"What is it?" Olive asked, quickly handing her a towel. Miss Peregrine dried herself off and frowned deeply.

"Millard was on a plane to the Asian country of Japan when his plane was hit by lightning. He was sent flying to the front of the room during the violence of the turbulence…and I daresay he's lost his memories."

"What? Then what about you?" Enoch asked, standing up.

"I was just sprinkled by the rain. It's pouring out of the house, and must I remind you children, the day after tomorrow is Hugh's birthday. Give him anything but flowers," Miss Peregrine said, and toweled herself off. "After all," she continued, giving the towel to Olive, who dried it using the heat of her hand, "they were considered to be soul mates. They met three years before I found them."

"Soul mates. Then what is Millard?" Jacob scoffed, but Emma kicked him in the shin.

"Poor Millard," Enoch said, "but he really should've went to save Fiona."

"Yes, but would you have saved Jacob if he was facing a bunch of wights that he was incredibly scared of, under the circumstances that Jacob was the rival? That Olive like Jacob instead of you? That they would've married?" Emma asked.

"That's quite true. I don't suppose I would've," Enoch said. "Olive, shall I raise victor to attend our wedding?"

"Let's ask Bronwyn about that, darling," Olive replied and sat down next to him. Claire entered the room, and she held out a bouquet of flowers. "Hold that for me, will you?" she asked.

"It's amazing how you're already 13," Olive said and smiled.

"You look lovely with those," Claire smiled, and called Bronwyn in.

"Bronwyn, we have to ask you something," Olive asked.

"Yes?" Bronwyn said.

"May I raise Victor, just so that he would be able to attend our wedding? He is, after all, still my best friend," Enoch said.

"Uh…sure, but I thought we buried him already," she replied. Olive and Enoch looked at each and smiled.

"We dug him out. I couldn't stand him rotting in that dirt pile," Enoch said. "The loop Miss Peregrine had created and put us in has kept him in the same state. He doesn't have skin peeling off of him, don't worry. It's only that…well, he looks like he's already at least thirty-six."

"Just to think, this loop is already thriving, yet it's only been created for about four days. Who wanted to live in a loop anyways?" Jacob said.

Everyone looked at him.

"You," they replied simultaneously.

Emma shook her head. "Really, Jacob, you need a better memory," she sighed.

"Oh right!"

"Hey, who are you people?" a familiar voice said.

"Millard?" Olive asked. In the threshold of the door, there was a boy…well, an invisible boy in a hoodie and jeans, but water evidently dripped from the air, showing where he would be, even without the clothes.

Millard hadn't really grown much, unlike Hugh. He was still only about 5.8 feet tall

"That's what the creepy lady said when she first saw me. So I'm assuming you people do know me. Well, then, pleasure to meet you, even if you can't see my hand."

"Get back here and dry off your hair!" Miss Peregrine shouted from the other end of the hall. She threw a towel at Millard and it hit in on the side of his head.

"You're Millard Nullings. We're Jacob, Emma, Olive, Enoch, Claire, and Bronwyn. That's Miss Peregrine there, by the way. Olive and Enoch are getting married next week. You had some…things to deal with so that you had to leave us. Um…and that guy that looks downright murderous standing at the stairs is…Hugh Apiston." Bronwyn looked at Hugh uncertainly.

"Now, Hugh, you must understand that-" Miss Peregrine started.

"Why is the murderer here?" Hugh demanded.

"What murderer?" Millard asked, looking around him. "Well. Thank you for reminding me my name, but even so, I still can't remember who I am. I believe I shall be leaving right now."

"No, you're not. You have to attend Olive and Enoch's wedding."

And so there, it was all set. Hugh sulked about it for a few days, but eventually he came to realize that offending the new and dumb Millard was only going to get him some positive feedback, like, "Sorry! I still don't know who this Fiona is. Am I supposed to know?"

Eventually, Hugh's birthday rolled around.

AUTHOR"S NOTE: PLS REVIEW! LET me KNOW WHAT I CAN WORK ON!


	3. Chapter 2: Birthday Memories

"Happy Birthday, Hugh!"

"Happy Birthday!"

"You're 23, congrats!"

"Now, children. Quiet," Miss Peregrine said, but she stood up and beamed proudly at Hugh. "Yes, Hugh, congratulations. You are now officially 23, even if we're in a loop that's repeating Tuesday. You are now the third oldest-"

"He's always been the third oldest, right after Jacob and Emma," Enoch interrupted. Miss Peregrine glared at him.

Olive laughed gently and held Enoch's hand. Enoch shut himself up.

"Thanks, everyone," Hugh said, and smiled. Just a little, not too much. Of course, he thought, if Millard weren't here, things would've probably been better. Or so he thought.

Millard entered the room, and obviously was trying to hide something, but being invisible also included that you could look _right past him_.

"That's a really big gift you have there," Jacob said. He had Emma and his gift placed in his lap.

"Wha-Why do you know? How?" Millard asked, and the clothes spun frantically around, indicating his fear of how people knew.

"You're invisible. We can look right through you," Enoch said.

"Millard, what is in it?" Claire asked.

"Tell us, please?" Bronwyn asked.

Millard sighed and obliged. He set down the package (which barely had to be set down because it was so big it almost touched the floor anyways) and cleared his throat.

"This is actually…not just all mine. It's mine and a girl I remember in my memory. She was able to grow flowers and she…she had a boyfriend that could pollinate her flowers. We were best friends…until she fell off a cliff." Millard paused and shuddered. "This was a gift she and I prepared together, and I hid it away in a home where strange animals of all sorts were. She guarded it, and when she fell off the cliff…she told me to keep it safe and wish her boyfriend happy birthday." He turned to Hugh. "I'm assuming that's you. It hurts. I don't know why, but it hurts."

Then he fainted and hit the floor hard.

Hard as in he hit the floor and couldn't get up again.

"Well, he did what he and Fiona planned," Emma said. She stood up and nodded at Bronwyn. Bronwyn picked up the present and set it on the gift table.

Hugh unwrapped it, tears falling.

It was a sculpture. The three of them stood in the front, and behind them were the carefully painted figures of Jacob, Emma, Enoch, Olive, Bronwyn, Claire, Victor even, and Miss Peregrine.

Under the package there was a letter with a smashed flower as its seal.

"Fiona's symbol," Hugh whispered. He opened it, and in Fiona's handwriting there was a paragraph written.

 _To Hugh:_

 _If you have gotten this statue and I'm not here to present it, that would mean something's happened to me. If Millard had been there to witness my death, do not blame it on him. We had planned this._

 _Now you must be wondering, why? Why would we have planned my death?_

 _We had decided together that only if one of us dies, there would be hope. I know that this is hard for you to take in, but the truth is, I'd planned it. Millard was against it, but I forced him to accept it. I couldn't stand him like that. Millard, you couldn't see his face, but he's lately (or as lately as I had been alive) been crying in his sleep. I told him that if anything happens to one of us, the other could only watch. We are not allowed to help, to even ask if the other needed help._

 _I'm sorry, but please don't blame Millard._

And underneath it, in Millard's handwriting.

 _To Hugh:_

 _Happy Birthday, man! If I'm not here when you're reading this letter, that would mean that I've already died. I know you probably won't even feel sad, but inside, I really do hope so. I love you, and I think everyone knows that. I'm sorry if it makes you guilty, and I know it probably doesn't, but hey, at least we were good friends! I probably also died smiling, so don't bother to even search for me. I also probably would just be invisible to my death anyways, so trying to find me wouldn't even me helpful._

 _Once again, happy birthday!_

Everyone was silent.

Millard was still lying on the floor, and finally something came out of his mouth, but he was obviously still asleep or out cold.

"Hugh…I'm sorry."

Horace grabbed his Dream-Teleporter (that thing in the movie in which he projected his dream through) and lifted Millard up. He stuck the thing onto Millard's right eye and everyone crowded around to watch Millard's dream.

 _MILLARD'S DREAM (THROUGH THE DREAM-TELEPORTER)_

It started out with rain. Then an architecture came into view, and everyone gasped. It was 6 years ago, at Miss Wren's home.

"Fiona!" It was Millard's voice, and it was in first person view. Millard stuck out his hand, somehow visible, and ran towards Fiona.

"No! Don't you want to have Hugh? Don't come to me!" she screamed, and a wight laughed. It snarled, and stuck out two hands.

"No, Fiona, I have to!" Millard screamed and moved forward. Fiona's eyes grew wide. Then she broke into a smile.

"No, you don't." The wight stuck out his arm, and Fiona backed up at the same time, and the force adding together sent her tumbling off the cliff before Millard could get her.

"No!" he screamed, falling to his knees.

 _END_

Horace pulled the Dream-Teleporter off of Millard's eye and everyone was silent.

"I'm sorry, Fiona," Millard whispered, and he sat up, fully conscious. "Where am I?" he asked. He looked around frantically, but of course, the only reason people knew was because his hat kept on changing direction.

"In the living room. That's a nice gift you gave Hugh," Miss Peregrine said. She was the first to recover, quickly followed by the rest. The rest excluding Hugh.

"Huh? Oh, yeah…I remember now. The girl was called Fiona. She…sacrificed a lot. She was a good friend."

"Yes, she was."

Everyone looked at Hugh.


	4. Chapter 3: After the Birthday

Hugh grabbed Millard and told everyone else to enjoy the cake. There was something he needed to get out of Millard. Millard followed him (well, kinda, since he was being _dragged_ ) and the two disappeared up the stairs. Hugh sat Millard down and looked into his eyes.

"Are you telling me the truth?" he asked.

Millard started shaking. "Please, I don't want to remember anything…"

"So you can. You're just not trying to," Hugh demanded.

"Please…" Millard started crying.

"Hugh just made Millard cry!" Claire announced. Hugh walked to the door and threw it open. Bronwyn, Olive, and Emma crashed into the room and Claire jumped.

"I really don't like it when people camp out in front of my door. Go out," Hugh said, completely irritated.

"Sorry," Emma replied, and was the first to leave. Olive smiled awkwardly, and Bronwyn quickly grabbed Claire and ran.

Hugh turned back to Millard, who, despite being invisible, was shivering. Or at least the chair he was sitting on was shaking.

"Tell me, was there really such a deal between you and Fiona?" he asked. Millard nodded, but he said nothing. Hugh's eyes narrowed. "You're not Fiona. Talk."

Millard still said nothing.

"Who suggested it first?"

Millard shook his head, and the hat swayed left to right twice.

"I said, you're not Fiona. Stop acting like her! You'll never replace her!" Hugh shouted, throwing a teacup at Millard. It hit him on the face, and he didn't even dodge. Blood began to drip onto the floor.

"Are you not going to answer me?" Hugh threatened.

Millard made a desperate decision. The door was left open, and he threw off all his clothes, leaving him naked, but completely invisible. He began to quietly move around the room. Hugh narrowed his eyes.

"You're going to pull this off? Okay." He opened his mouth, and bees began filing out in an orderly line. They began buzzing and flying towards a corner in the room.

Millard ran for it.

"Get back here! I'm not finished with you!"

There was a furious yell, and then Miss Peregrine appeared.

"Children! Behave yourselves! Hugh, if Millard refuses to talk to you, he has every right to do so. And Millard," she said, looking at the spot two inches away behind her, "put on some clothes."

"Will he leave me alone?" he asked, his voice completely changed.

"Yes, and thank you for stop acting like you haven't got any memories. I have to say, you're a pretty good actor, however."

"Thank you, Miss Peregrine."

"Wait. You knew that he was acting this whole time?" Jacob asked. Miss Peregrine turned around.

Everyone was standing behind them, and Jacob and Emma were in the lead. Hugh rolled his eyes.

"Oh please, people, must you barge in into other people's business?" he asked. Claire nodded, and Bronwyn snickered.

Olive put her hands on their shoulders.

"Okay, children. Go downstairs, and start preparing the dinner," Miss Peregrine said, "and remember to wash your hands. I don't want to find another rat heart in my soup."

Everyone looked at Enoch, and he smiled.

"Sorry, wasn't my fault anyways," he muttered, and began to tug on his sleeves. Hearts, livers, and metal pieces began to fall to the floor.

"Ew…!" Claire groaned, and rushed to the bathroom, closely followed by Bronwyn.

"Oh, please, Enoch," Olive said critically, but she put her arm onto his, and he smiled. Miss Peregrine 's mouth twitched at the corners, and waved them away. Everyone left, and Millard followed.

"No, Millard, not you. You have things to deal here with Hugh. Shall I leave you now?" she asked. Millard shook his head violently, but Miss Peregrine didn't seem to notice. She turned around and left, following the others.

"Now, are you going to tell me?" Hugh asked once Miss Peregrine was downstairs.

Millard adjusted the clothes slowly, then ran for it. Again. He rushed down the hall and into his room, slamming the door after him. Hugh sighed and went after him.

"Henry, I need you to open that door for me," he said. Henry obliged, and flew into the key hole. The door clicked open.

"Ah!" Hugh could hear Millard scream, and something roused in him. A feeling, perhaps, that urged him to torture Millard. But a torture that involved a pleasure in the body, not pain. Hugh rubbed his forehead, then entered the room.

He saw Millard (or the air that had clothes) with his shirt on, but only half of his pants on, since it was obvious that the shirt didn't touch the pants.

"Millard?" Hugh asked. The clothes backed up. Hugh approached and stretched out his hand gently. Millard had backed up so much now that he was unaware of the fact he had come to a dead end.

"I'm sorry, will you please forgive me?" he asked. Millard shook so violently that he fell onto his bed. Hugh was immediately after him, and soon he was right on top of him.

"You can't see me. How are you supposed to know how I feel?" Millard demanded, but teardrops slid onto the blankets, making the sheets wet.

"I can sense it. I'm sorry. For 6 years…for 6 years I thought that you had _wanted_ Fiona to die, and now I realize that I'm wrong. It was Fiona that asked to die, and I couldn't believe it until now. I'm sorry…"

"Okay, well, are you still mad that I was pretending to have lost my memories?" Millard asked, trying to sit up.

Hugh pushed him back down and smiled. "No, not really. I think you were just too entranced in your role, that's all." Millard sighed deeply.

"And I would've gotten away with it and escaped without confessing again to you if Horace hadn't been half so obnoxious with that Dream-Teleporter," Millard added. Then they both started laughing.

The door clicked open again.

"I see you boys have worked it out," Miss Peregrine said, and walked into the room. A whole pile of kids tumbled in after her and a chorus of "Oohs" and "Ahs" filled the room.

"Get out!" Millard shouted, waving his invisible arms.

"Ouch! Would you mind being less…active next time, please? I'd prefer not to be smacked in the face!" Hugh said, irritated.

"Oh, yes, yes I'm sorry," Millard quickly apologized, trying to get up again. Hugh didn't move.

"Stay. I have something to tell you," he whispered.

"Okay, children, go back to your chores now. I don't want to see you around this door again." Miss Peregrine walked off, and everyone else followed in an orderly fashion. However, just before they left, Enoch and Jacob flashed two thumbs-ups at Hugh and winked. Hugh grinned back and raised his eyebrows. They rushed away, and there was nothing left but a letter.

"Henry?" Hugh asked. He opened his mouth and tens of hundreds of bees flew out. "No, no, I only need enough to pick up that envelope." There was a low humming, and then bees flew back into Hugh's stomach.

"Aren't you tired?" Millard asked.

"No, not really." Hugh caught the envelope the bees had picked up and dropped above Millard head.

"You're almost doing a one-hand push-up," Millard stated, deeply impressed.

"I do a hundred of them every day, fifty on each hand," Hugh replied, and smiled. Millard reached up and took off Hugh's hat.

"How have you been?" Millard asked. Hugh's brows furrowed.

"I haven't smiled ever since you left. I couldn't understand why, and I refused to believe what everyone else told me."

"What'd they say?"

"That you wanted to save Fiona. I didn't believe them. I'm sorry…"

"It's okay!" Millard said, and smiled gently. "It's okay, we just have to find back the 6 years we missed. And may I ask, why would you suddenly be so interested in working out?" Hugh laughed.

"No, _I_ wasn't interested in the beginning, it was Henry," Hugh said. He looked at a bee, a lone bee, hovering above them that started flying around in an 8-pattern.

"Love?" Millard asked. Henry buzzed lowly and started rubbing himself against Millard's cheek. "Ah, scratchy!" he laughed, and Henry flew up.

"Yes, and he _insisted_ that I train with him. He gave up after he found out the girl of his choice was already mated, but I was already so…into the schedule of getting up every morning to do push-ups and sit-ups that I just continued doing it."

"What does the letter say?" Millard asked.

"Yes, the letter." Hugh ripped it open with his mouth, and Millard rolled his eyes. Not that Hugh could see it.

"Puh-lease. Just get up. You won't die, but I would if all your muscles weight came crashing down on me."

"No," Hugh replied firmly and unfolded the letter.

It was written in Horace's handwriting.


	5. Chapter 4: FIRST DATE!

"No, of course not," Millard gasped as his face turned completely red (not like anyone could see that, of course). Horace grinned at him from across the table.

"Horace just made Millard run away!" Claire announced.

"Don't say that, dear," Olive laughed, and Claire smiled pleasantly. Jacob and Emma stuck their heads out from the other side of the table and watched as Millard fled to his room.

"What'd you say?" Jacob asked.

"Nothing," Horace replied. "It's just…well, I just asked him whether he did what I asked him to do in the letter yesterday, and he fled the room. Haven't you noticed he's been limping and walking slower than lately? I'm judging this by the sound his left foot is making, and its coming down onto the ground much heavier."

Jacob's face flushed red.

"What? What does he mean?" Emma asked, staring at Jacob.

"That wasn't something a gentleman should've said," Jacob stated. "Pardon me, I need to go use the restroom. Won't be back until, well, until we go out to see the loop reset." He stumbled off, quickly followed by Emma, who was still very persistent.

"What is it?" she asked. Jacob waved her question off and began to run, muttering, "Oh please, birds…"

 _Yesterday_

 _"_ _What does it say, Hugh?" Millard asked. Hugh grinned._

 _'"_ _To Hugh: Have you ever noticed how Millard looks at you? It's deep love, Hugh. I have to say your darling Millard would really appreciate it if you would…well, bed business him. From: Horace.'"_

 _Present_

"Well, Horace?" Bronwyn interrogated, her face inches away from his. Horace grinned.

"Can't tell you, ruins my image of a gentleman," he replied, and stood up. He whisked his plate off the table and turned to the sink. He placed it down and bowed. "Good night. I will not present you of my dream tonight. However…" he smiled even more. "I believe if you go in front of Hugh's room you'd hear the answer you want. Call Jacob and Emma out too. They're hiding behind the couch in the living room."

Horace left the room. No one followed.

The next day, Millard was in a wheelchair.

"Ow, that hurts!" he moaned, as Hugh tilted the chair over. Jacob rushed out of the dining room the second they entered, and Millard was completely decked out in winter clothes.

"It's the middle of August!" Claire said in surprise. Millard nodded and the scarf followed his head motion.

"I'm cold…" he murmured.

"You have a cold?" Olive asked.

"No, my body temperature is below the average."

"Oh," Bronwyn replied. "Would you like me to get you something, to warm up your body or what?" Enoch rolled his eyes.

"No, dummy, they ought to have done something to him. Millard never caught a cold before. At least not one to where he admits he's sick," Enoch stated, and Olive critically crossed her arms.

"Don't call them dummies! Apologize, Enoch," she reprimanded, and Enoch laughed gently.

"Anything you say, dear. Sorry for calling you people dummies," he said, and stood up. "I have to go and prepare some things now, if you wouldn't mind…" He gestured for Horace to follow, and Horace, with a mysterious grin on his face, obliged.

"They're going to discuss Enoch's wedding suit, aren't they?" Olive asked, but it was more of a comment to reassure herself.

"Maybe," Emma said, her eyes following the two.

"Millard, how do like ice-cream?" Hugh asked. Millard grinned, one that Hugh couldn't see, but he felt it in his heart. "I take it you like it?"

Hugh had just taken Millard through another loop into an amusement park, but it was a quiet one, with very few people around to notice Millard's floating heap of clothes.

Millard laughed.

"Yes I do, actually. How'd you guess?"

"I felt it, is that a good enough answer?"

"Maybe? Go on, buy me an ice-cream, if you shall. Thank you very much!"

Hugh returned two minutes later with two cones in his hand, and a plastic bag hovering above his head, carried by nearly a hundred bees.

"Open your mouth," Hugh whispered, and Millard obliged. Above them, Henry buzzed twice and began to hum. Bees started to organize themselves into patterns, and Millard watched as Hugh fed him.

When Millard finally read the words, the ice-cream in his mouth was nothing but a bit of ice to cool down the temperature of his face.

"I-You-Me?" he stuttered, and Hugh smiled. He handed Millard ice-cream back to him, then turned around. He opened his mouth and more bees flew out, quickly becoming a pattern, a quiet hum echoing in the air.

Hugh pressed his mouth onto Millard's, forcing Millard to drop the cone he held weakly, and, after a long pause, stood up.

If he could see Millard right now, Millard would've been as red as blood.

"Ah…" Millard gasped. Hugh pressed his hand onto Millard's cheek, feeling the heat of his face burn his fingertips. Hugh kneeled onto the soft snow, very aware of the three people behind them.

A slow grin crawled onto his face.

 _Good,_ he thought. _Now I can have two witnesses to see this greatest moment of our life~_

"Will you, Millard Nullings, be my wife, my companion, for the years to come and the years to pass?"

Millard's face temperature went another 3 degrees higher.

And then Hugh said exactly what the bees were organized as in their pattern.

"Will you marry me?"

Henry buzzed excitedly, and two shouts came from behind.

"Go Apiston!" Horace shouted.

"I can see the love in the air!" Jacob shouted.

"I still don't get it? Why'd you come out from behind the couch to see this if you can't even-"

"Shut up, Somnusson!" Jacob exclaimed, throwing rose petals into the air.

Millard blushed even harder, and started to mumble, while Hugh grinned and looked at the quiet figure leaning on the door.

Enoch flashed him a smile and raised his eyebrows. Hugh turned around, quiet aware of Enoch's question.

"I-You-it's-uh…uh…yes?" Millard muttered, each word quieter than the rest.

But Hugh had heard his answer quite well, and the moment Millard's voice dropped, he had him scooped up and started whirling him around.

"Yes!" he exclaimed, and more hoots followed. Millard looked behind and saw that the whole group of children were there now, not just Jacob, Horace, and Enoch.

Miss Peregrine walked up front, a proud smiled on her face.

"I don't know what to say," she started off. "But I'm proud of you two. Fiona would be glad too, I believe."

Hugh smiled at Millard, and Millard smiled back.

"I'm sure she would be."


	6. Chapter 5: Marriage Day

Millard struggled in his costume.

"Must I wear a dress to the wedding? Everyone, including myself, knows _very_ well that I am a boy. No, correctly said now, counting that I am 21 in human age adding all the time I've been in the loop together, and adding in my age considering that I'm not in a loop right now-"

Millard's face flushed red as his lips were sealed tightly.

"Well."

Millard coughed twice and attempted to look very calm, but Hugh, his hand pressed on Millard's burning face, knew very well he was anything _but_ calm.

A bell rang magnificently, one of the old 18th century copper bells, and its echoes told Millard and Hugh to get out.

They took their seats (more accurately, Millard took his seat as Hugh was a groomsman) and watched Olive enter.

She glanced at Millard as she walked past and winked.

"You better catch the flower," she whispered.

"Uh-right!" Millard stuttered.

Olive joined Enoch onstage and they looked at each other lovingly. The groomsmen (Hugh and Jacob) looked away as so did the bridesmaids (Emma and Bronwyn). Miss Peregrine beamed proudly at them, and Millard saw a look of peace like a wish fulfilled flick across Victor's face. Claire bawled and buried her face in Miss Wren's clothes.

Really, Victor didn't look _that_ bad.

He just had glazed eyes, really pale skin, and a couple of cuts that were black here and there.

Preservation of a loop. Incredible.

"Will you, Enoch O'Connor, accept Olive Abroholos Elephanta as your wife, and promise to love her from now to eternity, and not dump rat hearts in the soup, on purpose or by accident?" Horace asked.

"That last part was _totally_ added on," someone up front said.

"Yes, and I'll try to," Enoch said, rolling his eyes.

"Okay, whatever," Horace answered swiftly. He turned to Olive.

"Will you, Olive Abroholos Elephanta, take Enoch O'Connor as your husband, and vow to love him from now to eternity?"

"I've loved him a long time before now, but yes," Olive said, her face red with excitement.

Horace rolled his eyes. "Must you people say so much more? Is it _that_ hard to just say 'yes?'"

"Yeah, whatever."

"I now pronounce you husband and wife!"

They exchanged rings and people started clapping.

The ymbrynes: Miss Avocet, Miss Nightjar, Miss Finch, and Miss Thrush.

Claire and Miss Wren, who was attempting to comfort her by patting her head and saying, "It's alright, do _not_ wipe your snot on my sleeve…"

The Bone Brothers and Melina, who apparently _weren't_ killed in the attacks.

The Gypsies.

Mother Dust and her helper, who sat in the back and was entirely wrapped up now except for her eye.

Amazing how the invitations got around, but they did. And it all ended up _very_ well.

"Okay, you may kiss, or hug or-oh."

Horace looked right at Olive and Enoch as Enoch swept Olive into his arms and they kissed. And hugged.

When they separated, Olive looked to where the rest of the people were sitting. She eyed a pile of dresses and shoes on the floor and grinned.

"Desperate, isn't he?" she whispered, and gestured for Enoch to follow. He saw what she was looking at and smiled too.

"I'm going to throw the flowers," Olive announced.

She threw it.

And she caught it.

"I'm awfully sorry I'm late for the wedding. I only just heard that you were getting married today because of the bell, but then I got lost. Is the flowers for me? Thank you so much, Olive!"

Silence.

And then finally a voice broke out.

"Fiona."

Millard turned and saw the girl he never thought he would ever see again in his life. Truth be said, he wasn't the only one.

Questions started to overflow his mind.

Was this the real Fiona?

Where was she before?

How was she able to climb up?

And one by one, he answered them himself. Yes, this is a real, 100% Fiona Fiona. Maybe she lost conscience and now finally came back. Maybe trees broke her fall and she grew one out of scratch to heft her up.

But he had _seen_ her fall and heard something crack! Why was she here? Unless…

 _Unless she planned it all along._

"Hugh," Fiona beamed, a smile plastered onto her face.

To Millard's horror, Hugh also had a similar look that was covering his face.

 _Love._

He ran. No one tried to stop him. No one even cared, possibly, because the doors were open anyways, and he was completely nude.

He ran back to his room, thrust all the things into a suitcase, put on some normal clothes (a T-shirt and jeans) and ran out the door.

It was amazing, how little things he had when he left. It was a good thing he didn't expect them to keep him here, so that he didn't sell his house. It was a big house, and empty, but it was a quiet one, one that possibly Ms. Peregrine wouldn't even be able to find.

If he hadn't gone and visited Abraham (assuming he lived from the movie), he _definitely_ wouldn't have been caught.

Like, why in the whole wild world would Ms. Peregrine fly to Vermont's deepest forest to find an invisible kid? Wrong, again. Invisible _man_?

Millard looked back, and he saw everyone parading around Fiona. He turned away again. No one had seen him, then. He began walking, until he hit the edge of the loop.

He didn't notice a pair of dark, gloomy eyes staring at him, his every movement, but the owner of those eyes didn't stop him from leaving. In fact, he purposely let Millard go. He knew this would be a home for Millard. Not with Fiona here.

One foot out.

Two feet.

This time Millard swore to himself he was never coming back.

After everyone had caught up with Fiona, and Fiona went to help in the kitchen, Hugh _finally_ remembered that there was still Millard.

Millard, who he'd have to apologize to, now that Fiona's returned, that he likes her more than him. It'll probably break his heart, but he and Fiona did make a life-and-death bet.

"Millard?" he called.

Silence.

"Millard?"

"What's wrong?" Claire emerged, a cooking spoon in her hands. Hugh whipped around and looked at her. He grasped her shoulders.

"You haven't chanced to see Millard, have you?" he asked. Bronwyn appeared, and people started to gather.

Ms. Peregrine took Hugh in for a talk, and Fiona was waiting for him when he came out. Ms. Peregrine cleared her throat.

"Children, I want you to stay calm," she started. "Millard has gone missing. I don't know where he is, but I think he might have just dozed off somewhere in the loop. We must find him before dark. If he isn't in the loop when it resets, we're going to have to go find him."

Discussion underneath.

And then, "Why'd he leave?"

"Enoch, don't be silly," Olive chided, but there was a look in her eyes.

"How'd you know he left?"

"Well, you've finally gotten to that point, huh? When all of you were dancing and being joyfully reacquainted, Millard decided that he was going to leave. Probably for good too. Yet none of you noticed." Enoch glanced briefly at Ms. Peregrine.

"Not even you," he muttered gently.

"Why didn't you stop him?" Jacob demanded. Enoch turned to him.

"I'm not one to stop him! If any of you paid attention to him, he might not have left! But you didn't! And what do you get in the end?"

Further silence.

"No wonder he left."

"What do you mean?" Emma asked, but they all knew the answer.

Enoch sighed deeply. "I will tell you the answer you fear you know then." He turned to Fiona. "There are no real relationships he can count on fully for him here."

Hey guys!

Author here, and I just want to say, thank you all so much for reading this fanfiction!

I want to acknowledge 4 people who've been giving me _great_ encourage:

19marshall, Twinkles43534, YamiAngelLover, and totalgleek479

Thank you all for all the reviews and favorites/follow.

I just want to say that went the preview numbers hit the 1000 mark, I'm going to do a raffle for the reviews.

It's not a 3D prize, but whoever's comment I choose will get to decide on what I _have to_ write for an "extra!"

BTW: Happy New Years, and Sincerely: PuppetPainter


	7. Chapter 6: News

Everyone took a sudden interest in their shoes.

Finally, Ms. Peregrine cleared her throat and announced, "Well children, I see we have no point of seeking Millard, then. Go to bed. The loop…will not be publicly reset."

Fiona grabbed Hugh's hand, but he jerked it away without knowing why. He looked back at her, and saw hurt flicker across her face.

"I'm sorry, it's just…"

"It's okay. I know. Us three have been together ever since we were children, and I know that Millard's disappearance shocks you…"

"Yeah. Okay, um…" Hugh stuttered. "I think I'm going to go take a break now...and I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay."

Hugh left, and as he walked down the hallway, he heard two male voices talking to each other in an urgent whisper.

"Enoch!"

It was Jacob. Hugh leaned closer.

"Why did you let him go?" Jacob continued hissing.

"Because he won't be happy with Fiona here. Mind you, even if I support Fiona, I'm starting to think that Millard's really the one that belongs to Hugh. And the other way too. But I've been thinking lately. Don't you think it's queer that Fiona happens to show up a whole _six_ years later?"

"Enoch!" Jacob whispered. Hugh couldn't tell if he were angry or not.

"I was thinking that too!"

Okay, he was definitely _not_ angry.

Hugh did also begin to wonder. Why now? Why now, of all times? She could've come when Millard wasn't here, and she could've also came before Hugh decided to…give Millard a _chance_ , if he would put it that way.

"Hugh?"

 _Shoot. It's Fiona._

"Hey guys!" Hugh said, pretending to join them. Jacob and Enoch jumped.

"Walls have ears. Time has slaves, and is also a slave. Sometimes, the plots of the wicked can't be known until the righteous is erased from the story."

"Horace?"

Horace, dressed in a very stiff pair of pajamas, stared at Hugh in the eye.

"Remember: Time has slaves, and is also a slave itself. It just depends on how you want it."

He left.

Fiona rounded the corner.

"Was that Horace?" she asked. Jacob sniffed, rolled his eyes, and pardoned himself. Enoch gave a fast glance at Hugh and leaned in to whisper something to Hugh. Hugh's eyes widened, and his brows came together.

"What do you mean?" he demanded, but Enoch had already left. Fiona laid a hand on Hugh's shoulder,

"Are you okay?" she asked.

Hugh eyed her warily. He shook his head, hard.

"I'm fine. It's just…Millard. And you…"

"Me?"

"Why must only _one_ of you two stay by my side, and not both? Is Fate always this cruel? He's my best friend, and you're…"

His voice trailed off. Fiona looked at him, concerned.

"Love is like war. It's a war that might or might not involve blood. It's a war most wouldn't think of as one, but it is. You just can't simply watch your people get taken away in a war. That's like love, Hugh. If I was one side, the good side, and Millard the bad side, where we both want you, a primary neutral force, we can't stand the other one having you. There's _no_ such thing as neutral forces in a war, Hugh. Just like there can't be two equal lovers of a man."

Hugh sighed.

"Yes."

"Go to sleep. You're tired."

"I am…"

"Good night."

"Good night to you too."

Except it _wasn't_ a "good" night.

Hugh tossed and turned in his sleep, flashbacks streaming in his mind. Of him and Millard, him and Fiona…

And then he began to see things from a third person's view.

He saw him kissing Fiona in the dark, when Jacob and Emma encountered them. He saw himself getting hurt, and then his focus zoomed into first person.

No; he was _in_ first person, just not _his_ first-person view. But then whose?

It took one scene to know.

He saw Fiona, struggling in the air, and he realized who he was watching this from. He saw someone's hand reach out, but in vain. He saw his own face grow larger, and saw the words, "Will you marry me?"

And last, he saw snow. Snow, so big and blurry that he couldn't see _anything._ Just white. White flakes floating to the ground. And in the background, a very familiar amusement park. One that he remembered from somewhere deep, and he felt hot liquid slide down his face.

Hugh sat up suddenly, smacking straight into someone's hand.

Morning.

"Hugh?"

"Emma? Where's Fiona?" The second Hugh opened his mouth, bees flooded out. Emma rolled her eyes.

 _Yup, and naught on Millard._

"Dead," she replied casually. Hugh's eyes widened.

"I'm joking," she added on hastily. Hugh gave her a disapproving frown. Emma sighed. Hugh took a closer look at her and finally seemed to notice the dark circles under her eyes.

"Haven't you been sleeping?" he asked, concerned. She sighed.

"No, not since the news."

"What…news?"

"Do you have _any_ idea at _all_ how long you've been out?" she questioned. Hugh shook his head. A lone bee circled around his head.

"Henry?"

"They must've been tired of being shut in for so long," Emma guessed, and opened the window. A very straight line of bees flowed out, including Henry.

"I'm pretty sure they can last in my stomach without going anywhere for three days." Emma looked at Hugh pitifully.

"You've been out for a week. The news came two days ago."

"Yes?" Hugh asked, a sudden pit in his stomach.

"Gone."

One simple word. It was all it took for Hugh to realize the dream. It hadn't been a dream at all, had it?

"Millard's gone," Jacob repeated. He was standing at the doorway, an unwrapped burger in his hand. "Eat, Emma. You haven't eaten in ages."

"Thanks."

They switched shifts.

"Where…where was he?" Hugh finally asked.

"Well, queer that you would mind, but you do remember the place where you took Millard and attempted to propose to him, do you?"

"Yeah?"

"He died there. Frozen on a bench. With a puddle of frozen ice on the ground. Take you a bet it's his tears."

"With eyes or without?" Hugh asked, the truth dawning on him.

"That was dumb. Of course he had eyes," Jacob replied. "Now, Hugh, because the policemen insist that we mustn't move the body until we've found his parents-"

"Which would be really bad. Because that would mean-"

"Precisely. That would be at least 50 years ago, and at that time, Millard's appearance age wouldn't match up to his actual age."

"Are we going to stop them?"

Jacob stared at Hugh.

"Have you burned your mind off? No! Of course not!"

"Then…"

"Exactly. We're going to have to leave Millard's death a mystery. To them, not to us. We're all going to go out tonight and move his body back in. This time…well, it was pleasant to talk to you. I see that you've recovered, so you better go downstairs and, well, help Fiona pollinate the plants."

For a moment Hugh was in swamp-water.

"Oh yes. Fiona. I haven't helped her pollinate those plants in what?"

"6 years."

"Yes. 6 whole years."

Hugh didn't notice how Jacob was having a _slightly_ hard time mentioning Fiona's name. In fact, he also didn't realize that _everyone_ was purposely avoiding the topic of Fiona as they greeted him. He headed down into the gardens to see Fiona.

He probably also didn't notice the whispers behind his back.

Supper came and ended, and as the clock struck a quarter till twelve, Jacob stood up. He yawned and stretched, then began rousing people up.

"I'll stay here and guard the house," Fiona offered. Ms. Peregrine smiled mysteriously but said nothing. Hugh glanced at her, and nodded his head. She grinned back, but a hint of uneasiness was skipped over by Hugh as he turned back around.

 _Now…for Millard…_

It had taken him _so_ long to finally reveal everything Millard has hidden from him, yet so fast. It had only been just a couple days ago that he had proposed, yet the coming of Fiona ruined it all.

Everyone dressed up tightly and headed out. Hugh was at the end of the line, and was the last one to enter the loop.

There was nothing he could say when he saw Millard's corpse on the bench.

If Millard was snuggled into a ball, he might've shown at least a _bit_ of survival instinct. Yet he was sprawled onto the bench, staring into the sky lifelessly, a faint smile still on his lips. The suitcase he carried with him was crammed with things, but on the top was the last thing he'd ever given him:

 _Their engagement ring._

There was a handwritten note squashed in Millard's hand, and apparently he was the only one that had noticed it. It was either that or whoever found Millard first just decided to stick it back into its place.

Sure. Yeah right.

Hugh unfolded it.

There, in Millard's _lovely_ handwriting, lay phrases and words pieced together from the bottom of his heart, all the spilled and not-yet-spilled secrets.

 _To Hugh:_

 _By the time you read this note, I'd probably be dead. But I have to get this through._

 _Life is but a game, and so is love. But there are many types of games in this world, and love is a game of war. Life is a survival game, and the broken heart is but another game of imagination._

 _People can imagine, Hugh._

 _Just like how I imagined that maybe you'll love me. It's cruel, life, and as Fate has it, only one can survive. I bless you and Fiona, and I hope she will keep her word true. On the day of my death, she is to leave something for you in my room. It is our last gift we shall like to present you with. It's also the final flip on the coin._

 _Because whoever's the last man standing takes it all._

 _And in this game of last man standing, Fiona has won._

 _Love her, and keep her safe. Do not mourn over me, though I know you probably won't, and especially, love Fiona with my part too. Many times I have wondered if this kind of love was real, or was it just a dream. But here I am, and now that I can't see your face anymore through this bleary weather, I hereby say that I love you with no regret, no hesitance. Always have, and always will._

 _I will always remember the proposal you gave me, and I hope you'd do the same for Fiona, because truth be said, it really makes people give in. No matter how hard their wall is, that kind of act can break down the walls of China. The ring in my case belongs to Fiona, if I may believe so, and I wish you both good luck and have the utmost deepest regards for each other._

 _One last thing: I do remember telling you that I'd probably be invisible to my death._

 _It's not true._

 _Sincerely, Millard Nullings 1923-2016_

"Oh, well…" Hugh heard. He turned around and saw a group of people reading over his shoulder. Olive sniffed, and Enoch held her close again.

"Well, I don't know what to say," Hugh said, and turned to Jacob. "Shall we move the body now?"

Hugh grasped Millard's pale hand tightly.

It was then that Hugh realized what Millard had meant in his last sentence.

 _It's not true._

 _"_ _I'd probably be invisible to my death anyways…"_

But he wasn't.

Millard Nullings had died evidently visible.

His features were pretty for a boy's, _no_ , a _man's_. He had glazed blue eyes, pale skin (although if that was from the temperature of what was unclear), a perfect nose, thin lips, and his hands were as smooth as glass.

Jacob hefted Millard's legs, and Hugh his arms.

The next day, the body on the bench was gone from inspection.

Yes, hello, I am back!

That was a really fast update, I'm _just_ saying.

Took me forever...

First of all, for the next two weeks, I will be taking reviews as standards to consider for the extra. _Anything._ It can be Hugh x Fiona, Jacob x Emma, Enoch x Olive...et cetera.

Second, I just want to say that 1923 is just an assumption, because Millard was 87, therefore 93 in this fanfiction. Millard's birth year is 1922-1924, so I just took the middle one, therefore 2016 is just an approximated year.

Third, I just want to say...this is the longest one I think I've typed so far...and I've found that throughout this fanfiction, I've grown to like Millard more and more.

Thank you, and pls review and favorite/follow!~~~^v^

PuppetPainter


	8. Chapter 7: Secrets Unraveling

"Fiona?" Hugh called, and Fiona answered to him. "Can I talk to you privately?"

"Yes?"

He dragged her around a corner.

"Did Millard leave anything for me?" he asked. She looked at him and finally firmly said, "No."

"Okay, thanks."

 _She's lying. Millard_ said _very clearly that he'd told her to leave something for him._

 _No, she can't be! Millard's just hallucinating that he left something for me, that's all._

But Hugh headed to his room nonetheless. There was nothing waiting for him.

He turned around and found himself walking down the hall. When he lifted his head up he saw 15 very familiar letters. Letters he'd spent over 60 years with, letters he'd loved, letters he'd hated, and letters he'd saved more than once.

 _MILLARD NULLINGS._

He stood in from of the door, hesitant, then entered the door, stepping into the room. He watched the neatly folded bed and nearly empty room.

Then he saw the horror of the room.

Blood. Blood everywhere. Blood and knives, tainted knife. It was the knives Emma had been searching for yesterday.

But…scars…

Oh yes…he hadn't had a chance to inspect Millard's arms and legs. It terrified him the way Millard had tortured himself.

Then he started to slowly realize that all the blood was in a very unusual state. They were splattered wherever, but they linked with other drops of blood.

Hugh moved so that he could see the blood clearly, and he realized what it was.

A drawing.

He circled the blood painting, and observed the piece of work.

It was a masterpiece. A very bloody masterpiece.

A painting of him and him in the amusement park, when he had first proposed to him. Hugh never thought of Millard as a good drawer, but apparently there were many things he didn't think well of him.

He was lost deep in his thoughts when there was a call to him all of a sudden, and urgent whispers drew the caller back.

"Jacob?"

"No-nothing!" Jacob hastily answered.

 _Okay, now I know there's definitely something wrong._

"Horace!"

"Tell him, Fiona!"

"No, you tell him, Horace!"

"Tell me _what?_ " Hugh demanded.

"Well…"

"He's gone," Emma said shortly, her arms crossed, but her lips were thin and tight, and the children that followed after her were all pale.

"Who?" Hugh asked.

"Millard."

A moment of silence.

"What do you _mean_ he's gone?" Hugh demanded, his eyes wide. Fury rose up in his throat.

They told him everything.

It was about eleven a.m. then, and that was exactly when everyone took a break from speaking to Millard's dead corpse.

"When I went to check on him, Millard was gone!" Claire whined, her face tight and pale.

"Yes, but dead people can't just _come alive!_ And Enoch…you, you didn't go and raise him up again, did you?" Hugh asked. He was annoyed, and completely out of his mind. It wasn't even partially logical! It was 100% testified yesterday, actually today, that Millard was dead. As dead as dead could be.

"I didn't! I don't know how! He was _definitely_ dead yesterday!" Enoch replied.

Even Ms. Peregrine was shocked,

"I've never heard of this. When a loop resets, the person that has died stays dead-"

"And mind you, he wasn't even _in_ a loop!" Bronwyn cut in.

"Yes. Exactly. So how is it that Millard is gone?"

"He climbed out the window."

"What?" Jacob asked. He turned around to see Fiona inspecting where Millard lay carefully. Or where he _used_ to lay.

"He climbed out the window. See, that's where he landed-" she said, pointing to a crushed patch of flowers, "and that's where he took off running."

"He jumped out the window from the second floor?"

"Yes. I've done it a couple times. All you have to do is bend your knees forward so that the impact wouldn't break your legs, which is why the top of his footprints is denser than the back. This way the impact is lessened, and allows him to take off running after seconds of getting over it."

Everyone crowded over to the window sill.

"I see it!" Bronwyn exclaimed. She pushed herself up and stood on the sill.

"What are you doing?" Olive exclaimed, worried. "Come back down, Bronwyn!" Bronwyn smiled like an angel.

"I'm just going to try what Fiona just said!" she replied. She jumped.

Bending her knees while trying to stay aimed on where Millard landed was not as easy as she had thought, but she managed it, and everyone winced when she hit the ground.

"I'm okay! That was fun!" she shouted, waving her arms and shaking her legs slowly. "It doesn't hurt at all!"

"How do you know this?" Emma asked Fiona. Fiona looked at her.

"I told you. I've jumped out of windows before on my way to get here."

"Cool."

 _Not really._

"But then how'd he manage to fake dead? For a whole two days, too?" Enoch asked. "I haven't heard of that yet, even."

"There's an herb, in ancient China," Jacob said slowly, the truth dawning on him. "If you eat it, it is possible for it to paralyze you heart and make it stop pounding. He was alive when we started taking shifts at 3, probably, around that time."

Silence…again.

"Well."

Everyone looked at Hugh, and they all started to have a bad feeling.

For Hugh's face looked like he had just eaten something poisonous, and the one responsible for the poisonous food was no one else but Millard.

Millard Nullings, who was on his way of running away, panting and crying.

"Heh."

Hey guys, it's me again!

I've gotten back to the writer's road again, and I'm nearly laying out a new chapter every two days.

I just want to say: Thank you for the reviews, and pls keep on reviewing! I have two options now, and now that this chapter's gotten out there, there's a new alternative of Hugh x Millard!

Thank you for supporting me! I hope that a lot of you would follow Hugh and Millard through!

PS...I have a friend called FANG!RL4ever...and she also has a really good novel...

PuppetPainter


	9. Chapter 8: Prey and Game

"Millard?" a girl asked as she opened the door. Millard ginned, soaked from head to tail in water. He leaned onto the doorpost.

"Are you going to let me in?" he asked. The girl smiled, and shook her head.

"You've lost?" she asked. Her icy features were very apparent, and her bright eyes were as if she could see everything. She gazed across the lawn, as if watching out for something. Her eyes moved about like a hawk's.

"What?"

"Nothing," she said, and beckoned him inside. She shut the door.

"What is it?" Millard asked again.

"No, it's just that the old grandmother next door keeps staring at my house lately," she whispered. "I feel like she's not normal…"

"Peculiar?" Millard asked. He toweled himself off.

"Maybe…but at the moment now…you don't seem peculiar, and neither do I. So she shouldn't think we're peculiar…"

"What do you mean?"

The girl looked at him critically. "You do realize that at the moment, you are _anything_ but a pile of floating clothes right?"

Millard's eyes widened. He gazed down and saw his hands.

"Well!"

The girl gazed at him critically, an exasperated look in her eyes.

"Really?" she asked.

"Yes! I just…I'm…!" Millard was too thrilled to be able to speak properly.

"Took you long enough," the girl said, rolling her eyes. Then her face grew stern. "But I don't think it's going to last long. You cheated Death and your peculiarity, and it's going to come back. I think you're going to become invisible again, faster than when you first became invisible."

Millard stood there, his face serene.

"I guessed it…but I didn't know that if I died, I would become visible. I knew that it I ever had a chance to become visible…I would have to get it back…"

"Your room is upstairs. I haven't moved it. I assume you're going to make a trip back to your home?"

"Yes. How was Fiona when she was here?"

The girl frowned.

"I'm not sure I liked her very much. She's quiet- _too_ quiet- and makes me think she has something to hide."

"Plenty," Millard replied, and his one word made the girl understand why Millard, a brilliant genius that has never lost anything before, lost.

For there is _always_ someone or something that's better than you.

Millard went upstairs, and smiled sadly. That gift he had told Fiona to give…it was a fake. It was a proof that if Hugh really trusted him and loved him once, then he would search for it. And Hugh would find that Fiona had it, and if he still remembered that…code…they had established together as children, just between the two of them, then he would realize all that Fiona had done. To him. To Hugh. To the children.

He wondered if the blood drawing he'd left on the floor was clear enough. The knife cuts in his arms were numb now, but he could feel the tears trailing down his face.

 _No…he wouldn't, because he doesn't trust me. He's forgotten about his childhood…with only me, the memories of only me…because back then, I was still_ visible.

Yes…he'd known Hugh since their birth. They were friends since birth, until Millard started to become invisible and his parents moved away. 9 summers together, and they'd done everything two boys could do; create codes, paint the neighbor's cat, skip rocks, talk about ghost stories, trample the plants in the neighbor's garden, spend all their pocket money on candy and action figures, fight amongst themselves, and fight with their backs to each other against older, meaner kids, and beat them up.

 _Hugh Apiston…maybe you will never remember that kid you used to laugh, cry, and get angry with, but that kid will always remember you and love you. Remember you enough to find you 6 years later, and love you enough to find you 6 years later. Love you enough to die, to bleed, to crush his own heart for your happiness._

"Pathetic," he said out loud to himself. At this point he had already reached the room and slid the door behind him.

He crumpled to the floor and remained there, gazing at the ceiling above him, and lay there, sprawled, until the girl called him down for dinner.

"Althea?" he asked, peering down the spiral staircase. "How's your wound?"

"It's as well as your heart," she replied casually. The girl stared at him and blinked her eyes. "It's amazing how well you handled the whole situation. I really wonder how you managed to push yourself through these six years…or how you managed to 'accidentally' appear at Jacob Portman's house."

Millard stared at her. He rubbed his eyes tiredly and dragged himself to the dinner table.

Dinner was quiet, until Althea asked another question.

"Millard…if Hugh ever asks you for forgiveness, and if he ever proposes to you again…will you accept him? Or even…would you agree to return back home to him?"

Millard stared at his plate.

"Home?" he laughed. "What's home?"

Althea stared at him. Millard stopped laughing hysterically.

The atmosphere began to become serious.

"Althea, just like a wound would heal, my heart can also be glued back together too. But a problem will always be a problem, and just like your wound can heal, it will always leave a scar. My heart can be glued together, can be shaped back together, but there will always be cracks in it. If my heart were to be newly shaped again, my brain will always have a memory of the hurt, the pain. It is impossible to forgive completely, as there will always be a scar, no matter what."

"What is love, then?" Althea asked quietly, her eyes boring into his. Millard replied without hesitance.

"War. It's just the difference of a one-man war or a war fought between two, three, and even maybe tens of people."

 _Ironic. Fiona has once told me that she also thought of love as a war. Is this a coincidence?_ Althea thought.

Millard stared at her.

"I'm done."

"I'll get the dishes," Althea said, and they dispersed.

The next day in the morning, Millard was already gone.

"Hugh!" Jacob shouted.

The moment he entered the room, he realized it was a bloody mess. Chairs, tables, even the bed, was torn and shattered everywhere. Not a single bit of the room wasn't misplaced.

And if this was Hugh's room, that would've been fine too.

But it was _Millard's_ room that looked like a tornado had swept through it.

He'd been told by Ms. Peregrine to clean up the room, and the when he opened the door, a chair came flying past his head and smashed into the wall behind him. There were dents on the wall, and Ms. Peregrine would _not_ be happy.

And plus, the 'blood mess' literally was one. If Jacob hadn't known better, he would've thought Hugh'd killed someone in this room and splattered blood all over the place.

But he did know better.

Hugh turned to him, his teeth bared. A chorus of angry bees buzzed along with him, and there was a clear sign of irritation on his face.

"Call me when you're done," Jacob said meekly, backing out of the room, and tore off down the hall the second he got out of the threshold of the door.

Hugh remained in the room, his face even more ugly.

"What is it?" he hissed. "What is it? Why…why is the code starting to come to my head? Why does this letter write so badly about Fiona?" He uncrumpled the letter in his hand and read it again.

It was just for fun at first, trying to read the letter Millard had written, but when he read it in the secret code, it had made sense.

This time, it read:

 _To Hugh:_

 _By the time you read this note, I'd probably be dead. But I have to get this through._

 _Fiona is but the Fates. A game of love, a game of survival. My broken heart is but another game. Cruel, and only one can survive this game of survival. The gift we shall like to present you with is the final flip on the coin._

 _A flip of last man standing._

 _I have always loved you, always will, but Fiona will have the last man standing._

 _You gave me a ring, but I believe in this game Fiona has won, therefore the ring belongs to her. I give you the deepest regrets of love, and tell you that I have always loved you._

 _But Fiona's love, unlike mine to my death,_

 _It's not true._

 _Sincerely, Millard Nullings 1923-2016_

Hugh stared at the note once again.

What does Millard mean, Fiona's love for him is _not_ true? Which one of them is lying, and which one of them really…really deserves his love? He didn't know. Hugh actually didn't want to know.

"Apiston!" Enoch called. Hugh poked his head out.

"What?" he demanded, his temper aflame again.

"Is there a pint of blood in Millard's room?"

"That's a stupid question! How am I supposed to know?" Hugh replied. Enoch rolled his eyes.

"Is there blood all over the place?"

"Yeah…?"

"That…! If we ever get him, I want at least three pints of his blood back!"

"Why?"

"Do you think that if he used that much blood he would be able to jump out of that window, land safely, take a sprint for it, and travel somewhere else? No! He used my blood. My precious blood! Now I can't even do any experiments!"

"What type?"

"Human!"

"…Oh." Hugh stared at the painting on the ground again.

"Hugh?"

"Yes?"

"Why are you in here?"

Hugh wheeled around, and he saw Fiona raise a glass bottle over her head.

"Sorry."


	10. Extra (1)

_So if you guys had been reading the messages before, I said I'll be doing an extra, and here it is!_

 _Theme: ENOCH AND OLIVE~~~!_

YEARS AND YEARS AGO…

"Hello there?"

"…"

"Is anybody home?"

"…"

"Please…please, help me…"

"…Who are you?"

"My name is Olive Abroholos Elephanta. Who are you?"

"What do you want?"

"Please…save me. There are weird men chasing me, I can't chase them away…"

"…"

"Please!"

"…Get in."

"Olive?"

Olive sat up, her hair a mess, and everything…well, she looked like she had a nightmare. In fact, she did.

"What's up?"

"Hmm?"

Olive glanced around the room. She collapsed back onto the bed.

"Enoch?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you need help?" she asked, sitting up again. She watched through half-awake eyes at Enoch's every movement.

"No. Go back to bed. I got this." He carried out three more jars of preserved animal remains.

"Have you found those jars with blood you've been missing?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. Millard had them."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. There's a bloody masterpiece in his bedroom. I don't suggest you go in there and look, because Apiston just finished tearing the place up. It looks like a hurricane hit it. Have I ever told you that Millard can draw? Very well?"

Olive stared at him.

"No."

"Lay down."

"No. I'm getting up."

"Olive!"

"Enoch…"

They glared at each other. Olive twisted her ring nervously. They broke the gaze and stared somewhere else. Then they met the other's eyes and began to laugh.

"We're just like kids! That's so wrong!"

"Pwahahaha…!"

Olive got out of bed and bobbled next to Enoch. "Here, let me take the heart."

"No, you help me take the brain."

"Okay, whatever you want, _boss_ ," she smiled. Enoch stared at her, a faint smiled on his lips.

"Yes, whatever _I_ want."

"O'Connor!"

"What?" Enoch replied, agitated. He was literally *This Close* from getting a kiss from Olive.

"Take a look at this," he called. Enoch glanced at Olive.

"Go ahead. I'll be right behind you."

Enoch gave the jars to Olive and walked down the hallway. He saw Jacob on the end of the hall, kissing with Emma. Apparently they hadn't noticed him. Enoch smiled darkly.

"Hi, Jacob," he said. They jumped.

"Enoch!" Jacob gasped. His face burned red. "I-You-we…uh…"

"Yes? Who called me?"

"Huh?"

"Jacob, stop fooling around. I heard you call me just a few seconds ago!" Enoch sighed, exasperated. Jacob's eyes widened. He clutched Emma's hand tightly, his lips pressed together so hard they were white.

"I didn't."

"What?" Olive appeared behind Enoch, her lead shoes unusually silent. "We both heard you call him!"

"I didn't!"

"Millard!"

"Millard?" Enoch asked. The hallway became unusually silent.

"Millard!" a female voice called out again.

"Who are you? Why are you asking for Millard?" Emma questioned, her face in worry. "If you want to know about Millard, then go find Hugh!"

The footsteps drifted away.

Enoch looked at Olive.

"Let's go find him."

"Did you sleep well last night?" Enoch asked as they sat down in the garden. Olive smiled, and shook her head.

"Not really. I had a dream…about my childhood. I was being chased down for being a freak, and I came to a mansion, the only place that still had a light on. There was a pond that showed the reflection of the moon, and a cemetery. There were long black cars lined in a parking lot behind the house, all glimmering in the moonlight. I raced to the stairs of the mansion, and pounded on the door. A boy with onyx black hair opened it, with demanding eyes. They were cold, but back then, I felt like…they were just a form of shield the boy used, trying to protect himself.

"I begged him to let me in, and he didn't reply. He stared at me, and asked me my name."

"And?" Enoch asked, hugging Olive closer to him.

"I told him, and I asked him for his name," Olive continued, laying her head down on Enoch lap. Enoch stroked her hair.

"He didn't answer me, and then I heard more thundering footsteps. So I begged him again, to please let me in, and he didn't say anything. I thought he was going to chase me away, but then…" she paused. A faint smiled appeared over her lips. "He told me in a very brutal way, just like you would, to _get in_." She mimicked the boy's tone in the last two words, and laughed. "Enoch, are we going to find Hugh or not?"

"Not. Let the girl find him. I bet…it was Hugh that called me this morning too. Is that all?"

"Yes. But let me tell you what happened afterwards, things that didn't happen in the dream. The boy…he disappeared one night, and told nobody where he was or where he was going. He used to show me people fighting each other, and it was epic. I still wonder how he managed it though, because no matter how brutal it got…" she turned and looked at Enoch. "The people never bled. And then after that, about three months later, Ms. Peregrine came and found me. I left his house, without telling his family. I still don't know his name. And then…that's where I met you. You seemed familiar to me the first time I met you, but I guess that was just me."

Enoch's eyes bored into Olive's. A faint smiled spread over his lips.

"Or is it just me?" he asked. Olive shook her head, disbelieving.

"It's impossible."

"But it is. We can break the impossible rules," Enoch grinned. Olive's eyes widened. Her bottom lip quivered.

"You…you knew?"

"Maybe," Enoch replied casually.

"Why…why didn't you tell me!" Olive cried, her tears pooling into Enoch's lap. Enoch patted her head lovingly.

"I was afraid it would bring back the memories of your childhood before. When you appeared on my threshold that day, I felt something churning in my heart. I had never known what the word _emotion_ was before that day, but now…yes, that was first time I ever experienced emotions."

Olive looked at Enoch. A rare smile still hung on his face.

She kissed him.

Enoch pressed her closer to him, and finally…two minutes later, they pulled apart.

"Olive…I have to tell you something."

"Yes?"

"We're not the only ones who knew each other ever since childhood."

Olive frowned. "What?"

"Hugh and Millard…don't tell anyone I told you this, because Millard didn't want Hugh to know. The two of them had been best friends until Millard really couldn't hide the fact he was disappearing anymore."

And then, right on cue, Jacob barged in, his eyes wide.

"Millard's back. Don't tell Hugh."

Hey guys! I'm back with a new edition of _Invisible Bees._ I hope I'm not confusing any of you so far. This Extra is still kind of connected to the main plot, but this extra is concentrated on Enoch and Olive. I'm going to do another extra when the views hit 2000 or I get 20 reviews.

Summarizing the main plot, Millard had just left Hugh. Everyone thought he was dead, but he had just swallowed a Chinese herb that can make people fake die. Hugh had just realized what Millard had meant to say in the letter and is disappointed by the words and how they describe Fiona, and another big hole is between the two of them. Althea has came back, hoping that she can find Hugh and tell him something...the story of their childhood. Millard has come back...for another reason unknown, revealed in the next chapter.

Please continue following and reviewing!

PS...My friend F4ng!rl 4ever is also writing a story on Millard x Hugh! It's really good, so you guys can take a look at it...

PuppetPainter


	11. Chapter 10: Secret Return

"What?"

"Yes, you heard me right!" Jacob looked around him nervously, and bit his bottom lip. "When that Althea came-"

"Althea? Isn't she…dead?" Olive asked,

"Yes. Not really. The wound wasn't fatal to her. She managed the freeze the infection and healed over time. But let me talk first. Ever since Althea came, I kept on hearing voices talking to her, and when I peeked across the corner from Hugh's bedroom once, I saw Millard."

"What do you mean?" Enoch asked.

"He's visible. Millard has black hair and blue eyes, do you know that? And his skin is really, really pale."

"That's impossible. People can't have blue eyes and black hair. It just doesn't go together," Enoch argued. Jacob glared at him angrily.

"Well, he _does_. And people _can_ have blue eyes and black hair. They're just rare. Did you _not_ see his hair that day we went to pick up his body?"

"He was wearing a hat that was frozen to his hair! Did you see it?" Enoch barked. Jacob shrunk back, laughing nervously.

"Ha-ha. Oh yeah."

"Shh!" Millard's voice hissed behind them. Jacob jumped. Olive almost did too, but her lead shoes kept her on her butt.

"Hello, Millard," Enoch said. He nodded at the beautiful boy who had come out of the bushes.

He had black hair, sky-blue eyes, and was wearing a simple button-on shirt. His skin was incredibly white. Most people would think he was ill or something.

And Jacob was absolutely right about it all.

The moment Enoch finished his sentence, a dark voice called out, "Millard?" Millard ducked into the snowy background once again, hoping the white would hide him. Hugh walked into the scene, his face dark and gloomy. If there was a color to describe it, it would be black.

"Millard?" he repeated. Enoch flinched. Jacob laughed drily.

"I'll be going to help Emma in the kitchen now, if you wouldn't mind…" he muttered, and dashed out of the garden. Olive stood up.

"Now, Hugh-"

"Don't ever mention his name in my presence! Do you know what he did to me? Do you know what he did to Fiona? What else didn't he do? He killed my childhood friend, he hurt Fiona…she couldn't even tell me _privately_ because she though walls had ears! She had to hurt me, knock me out, to be able to talk to me! She had to talk to me through whispers, through whispers unheard and lip reading, just so that she could tell me the truth! She had to weave a pattern of flowers for me to read, to understand!"

"Hugh Apiston! Don't you dare talk to us like that! If you're not going to talk nicely, then you can get out of here! Don't stand up for Fiona against Millard! Have you any idea what Millard has suffered? Do you know what Fiona has done to Millard? You don't-you don't know _anything_! I used to think you were wise, but being a jerk has overtaken your common sense!"

Hugh stumbled back, his eyes wide. Why was everyone against him and Fiona? Did Fiona really do something? Why did Olive talk to him like that?

"Olive?"

"Yes?" she asked, panting in anger and loss of breath. Enoch stared at her melancholily.

"She's here…"

At this point, everyone on the scene had gathered together. Millard in the snowy background, tears flooding down his ghostly face, Fiona standing at the door with a broken teapot at her feet, Hugh staring at Olive and Enoch disbelievingly, and Olive and Enoch glaring at Hugh disapprovingly, Jacob and Emma behind the door, covering their mouths at what they just heard, Miss Peregrine perched on the top of the tree, looking at Hugh, Fiona, and Millard in the trees, Claire and Bronwyn on the other side behind the walls, listening, Horace shaking his head and sighing, Althea standing next to him, her eyes sad and hand over her heart as if it was her heart broken.

"Come out, Millard," Miss Peregrine whispered softly. A slight rustle in the trees, and the boy appeared. His piercing blue eyes were dull now, his lips blood red. His shirt was stained with teardrops.

"Millard?" Fiona gasped. "How are you-?"

"It's about time, Althea," he said. Althea nodded her head. She closed her eyes.

"I see it now. You lost this bet of last-man standing. Again. I'm sorry I made you come back one more time. I knew you didn't want the third taste of despair."

Millard gazed at her, then he stared into Hugh's eyes. Millard's eyes were dull and haunting, each was leaking out a stream of tears.

"Hello, Hugh Apiston." He turned to Fiona. "…"

"Are you going to say something?" Fiona asked, but it sounded more like a threat. Her eyes were dangerously lit.

Millard ignored her.

"Jacob, thank you for supporting me. Emma, you were the best leader anyone could _ever_ have, even if I was smarter than you, was, is, and always will be. Claire, I wished I could've attended your wedding and saw which mouth kissed to groom first, but I don't think I can. Bronwyn, I hope you can take care of Claire forever. Don't let her marry a stupid guy." Millard glance at Althea again. "Horace, I have to say, nice clothes. I wonder what your wedding would be like if you were to just wear a T-shirt in as a suit? And next time I wish you would give the note to Hugh right away, not going around the place reading it to the people you think would like to know. Everyone wants to know. Olive, you are the most _pretty_ , _smart_ , _and patient_ girl I have ever met. Enoch, you do good and take care of her when I'm gone. Don't drop any rat hearts in the soup anymore. And Miss Peregrine…"

"Yes?" she asked, dropping down to the ground.

"Thank you." Two words that answered every question, asked all questions, spoke every word in Millard's heart, and let everyone understand what Millard was saying.

"Goodbye," Bronwyn whispered first. Then a chorus followed her, only two voices missing out. Hugh's, and Fiona's.

"Althea, let us go."

Millard brushed past Hugh, walked past Fiona, and headed away. Althea followed him, and both of them walked out the door.

"I'm so disappointed in you, Hugh," Ms. Peregrine said. She shook her head. It was the first time Ms. Peregrine had ever said something to that sort to her children. Hugh stared at her back as she also left. People started filing out the room, until it only contained two people: Fiona and Hugh.

"What have you done?" Hugh whispered. Fiona stared at him.

"I think I forgot something," Horace suddenly said, popping up again, cold anger in his eyes. He wouldn't meet Hugh's eyes as he handed the letter over. "And I wish you wouldn't believe in the _devil._ "

Hugh opened the letter.

"No!" Fiona cried, lunging out, swiped her hand across his chest, and ripped it from his hands. Horace gasped, dropping his cane, and fell to the ground. She had just slashed Hugh's chest with a broken porcelain piece that came from the broken teapot.

Fresh blood pooled to the ground and began to freeze into a red ice-skating rink.

"Fi…o…na?" he gasped. Miss Peregrine dashed in, seizing her by the arm.

"Fiona!" Claire gasped. The whole group followed them, gasping at what Fiona had done. She was crying and laughing hysterically, scaring everyone witless.

"Now you see me!" she screamed. Miss Peregrine frowned even deeper. Fiona turned to Miss Peregrine. "And now you _don't?_ "

It was a question…not an answer.

Hugh watched in horror as his previous lover (sort of -ish?) began to dissolve, bit by bit, until she was only a pile of ashes on the floor.

"She wasn't ever alive. Millard knew it, and he was trying to remind you. But you couldn't accept it. Fiona was never resurrected, but Millard didn't want to hurt your heart. She was just a gift from him…he had to leave. He knew that your heart would never be his. If you have to take it the bad way…Fiona resurrected was just a test, and you _failed_ it."

Hugh gapped at Horace. Everyone nodded their head sadly.

"Where is he?" Hugh demanded.

"Gone." Hugh turned to Miss Peregrine.

"What time is it?"

"Five minutes after."

Hugh took off, dashing for the love of his life.

"Why…why did you _have_ to do that? Why couldn't you just trust me…?" Hugh muttered under his breath as he ran. In the distance, he saw two people walking side by side, one of them looking like he was almost about to fall. Every step seemed dragged.

"Millard Nullings!" he yelled. The one that seemed to almost fall turned around, eyes widened, turned back around, and started to run too. A chase was issued, leaving the other one accompanying him behind. The girl smiled knowingly. She pushed her glasses a bit further up on her nose bridge.

"I think in the end a twist came, and you've won," she whispered, her voice carried away by the wind.

Hugh finally caught on with Millard, pushing him into his chest, feeling Millard's heartbeat.

"Millard Nullings, will you marry me?" Hugh asked, presenting Millard the same ring once again.

"I don't want anything Fiona has ever touched before! She's supposed to be my _enemy_ , not my _friend!_ "

"But she was a gift from you! She's yours!" Hugh shouted right back. Millard stiffened. A person flashed in his mind.

"Horace told you, didn't he?"

"Yes."

"Did you read the letter?"

"Not yet."

"Don't."

"Sorry…"

"Hugh?" Millard felt the arms around his waist loosen. "Hugh!"

Millard watched as Hugh fell into a pool of his own blood.

"Someone…help!"

He grabbed Hugh, searching frantically for someone that could see him, that could help him. But there was no one out in the middle of winter on the bleary cold streets. He gazed at his hands, but couldn't see anything.

"Nothing…?" he whispered, tears swimming in his eyes.

He had turned invisible again.

Hey guys...I hope I'm not too late on updating this chapter...heheheh...

In this chapter, Millard and Hugh basically finally got back together, and Hugh realized that Fiona was just a replica, and she was really dead for good. Hugh forgot that he was bleeding, so he fainted because of loss of blood, and Millard became invisible again...

This is my second to last chapter...My next fanfiction would with be for 1) Outsiders 2) Jack Frost x Peter Pan 3)...I have no clue...maybe creepypasta...?

Hope you guys can keep on following and reviewing! Tell me which one I should choose-v-

PuppetPainter


	12. Chapter 11: Final Chapter

"Millard!"

"Althea!"

"Where are you?" she screamed.

 _Oh yes…she can't see me now…_

"I'm here!"

"Where?"

"Um…where Hugh's body is half-floating in the air?"

"Oh. Okay, be right there." Althea ran over to help, and the two of us finally dragged Hugh up.

"Hugh? Hugh!" Millard cried. Hugh opened his eyes, just a little.

"Hen…ri?"

"No, it's Millard!"

"No…Henri." Hugh opened his mouth. A lone bee buzzed out again, flapping its wings ferociously in the snow.

"Okay…119?" Althea asked. Millard saw her talking to the phone. He didn't know how long they had been standing in the snow. Every single one of his senses were dulled. He tucked Henri into the warm pockets of his jacket. The bee buzzed nervously.

"I'm going to have to take my clothes off. It'll be weird if they see a pile of clothes floating in the air," Millard said. He began to undress himself.

"Give me your clothes when you're done," Althea said. She peered into the blizzard. "Here they come."

Wails echoed through the air, one louder than the other.

Millard passed his clothes to Althea. Althea rubbed some ice onto her face and it melted, looking like tear streaks.

"Girl!" one of the paramedics called.

"He's going to die!" she wailed. Millard snickered. She _could_ become an actor if she wanted to, couldn't she?

"Bring him in! Hurry, hurry, hurry!" The paramedics rushed up and down the ambulance, bringing out all sorts of stuff, until Hugh, Althea, and an almost frozen Millard was inside. One of the paramedics sat on top of Millard, and for the whole time to the hospital, Millard was so embarrassed he had to use his hands to cover a very particular part of himself.

"Are you okay?" Althea asked. It seemed as if she was talking to Hugh, but she was really talking to Millard.

"Mm."

"Cool."

The rest of the trip was silent…if only the sound of the wails and the paramedics' shouting were excluded.

The moment the ambulance stopped, havoc struck.

"Emergency room! Quick!"

"Hugh!"

"Please, Miss, come in and fill out this form…"

"Millard?"

"Coming!"

"Miss!"

"Yes! Millard!"

"Althea, go! I'll be in the emergency room! I _have_ to know what's going to happen to him!"

"Careful!"

"I won't get pierced by knives or scissors! Stop worrying!"

"How'd you know I was going to say that?"

"Because you're Althea!"

"Miss!"

"Wha- oh, yes!"

Henri flew out of the ruffled jacket, buzzing weakly.

"Go with Althea indoors," Millard whispered. Henri buzzed twice and flew into Althea's waiting hand. Millard took one last look at Althea and Henri, and took off determinedly towards the surgery room.

"This is amazing…the boy has a stomach like a hive," Millard heard on of the paramedics say.

"No, it _is_ a hive."

"Is that…honey?"

"Yes."

"Would you just get it over with and stop talking about my stomach?" Hugh moaned. The doctors jumped. They turned around and glared at the people that had sent Hugh in.

"Haven't you injected—"

"Of course we have!"

"Then why is he awake?"

"How are we supposed to know?"

"Because it doesn't work on me. Amnesia, maybe. Would you like for me to direct you on the operation?"

The doctors stared at him, stunned. Millard snickered. Then a grim expression spread onto his face. He ran the water from the nearby sink, doctors mortified by the fact the tap was open by itself. Then they saw a pair of gloves float into the air, rising up, up, and further up, until it was filled up by air. The hands floated to the surgery table, seized a pair of scissors, and aimed it at the cut on the patient's chest.

It went through.

Hugh grunted, gritting his teeth.

Millard saw where the piece of the porcelain teapot had stuck, and yanked it out. He wouldn't normally be so brutal and careless with his normal patients, but this one wasn't normal. And Millard knew he could bite down on his lips and hold the screams.

After all, peculiars are special in one way.

Millard pulled out a sewing needle from his pocket. At this point, the doctors had found the amnesia needle and injected it into Hugh's arm. Hugh's head lolled to one side and his eyes closed.

With great care, Millard pulled the thread through Hugh's skin. It was _definitely_ going to leave a scar.

"Stop! What are you doing!" one of the doctors cried. He lunged out. Millard dodged easily, and kicked the doctor in the stomach.

"Idiot. The needle you have there is contaminated. This needle is sterilized." Millard pulled another stitch. The cut sealed.

 _FEW YEARS LATER_

"Millard, I need some help here!" Althea shouted from the kitchen. Millard rushed into the kitchen, shouting, "Ow! Ow, hot!"

He dropped the boiling tea kettle onto the table, blowing into his hands. Hugh followed in, whistling carelessly, by which I mean he was awfully off-tune.

"Olive over-boiled it?" Althea asked, picking up the kettle and pouring out water.

"Yes."

"Hmm…well." Althea held out her hand and a layer of frost covered the kettle. It melted away five seconds later, but it had done its job and cooled the water by some degrees.

"Well, how's Jacob?"

"Which one? Me?"

"Or me?"

The three turned back to see two boys standing next to one another. One of them like was about 28, the other around 8.

"You, Jacob Abroholos O' Connor." Althea grinned and handed him a cookie. Olive and Enoch had given birth to a boy that grew up surprisingly fast. He was tall for his age, and he hung out mostly with his namesake, Jacob Portman.

Many questions were asked when Althea, Hugh, and Millard returned, but one question was answered for sure when the others saw Hugh and Millard.

They were together. A natural pair, huh?

Hugh glanced at Jacob O' Connor, a faint smile creeping over his lips. He turned and looked at Millard, who was sitting on the dining table. He walked over to Millard, and kissed his invisible lips. Henri buzzed out, and rested on top of Althea's hand.

"You know, I've been thinking…"

"About what?"

"Having a child…"

"What are you talking about?" Millard gapped. A fiery blush burned across his face. Hugh grabbed Millard's hand.

"With modern technology, and if Miss Peregrine collapses this loop, we'll be able to get you pregnant…somehow."

"But you'll never see Fiona again!" Millard protested, trying to change Hugh's mind. Hugh smiled evilly.

"But I don't need to see her anymore. Tell Miss Peregrine to get the others to the border," Hugh told Millard. "I'm going to take Jacob Abroholos O' Connor to see the _real_ world."

Althea nodded.

Two words came out of her mouth.

"Invisible bees."

"What?" Jacob asked. The younger Jacob smiled at him.

Oh yes, Jacob Abroholos O' Connor had a peculiarity, all right.

He could see the next minute of the future.

And therefore, he was able to tell what Althea meant.

"This is a story about an invisible lover and his bee-companion lover. Invisible Bees. Maybe one day there _will_ be invisible bees…and all of them will know of the names Hugh and Millard. Hugh Apiston and Millard Nullings."

Hey guys! This is the last chapter. However, don't feel bad (haha, I'm just trying to make myself feel better), I will actually post another Extra on Hugh x Millard's life because...well, view hit 2000!

Pls review on the topic of my next fanfiction, but if no one reviews on that, I will actually just go along on writing a really weird ship on Jack Frost x Peter Pan. Yeah I know. I got beat up by F4anG!rl4ver for saying (shiping) that.

PuppetPainter


	13. EXTRA (2) and Author's Notice

_'Twas the night before Christmas, where all things were silent, and not even a mouse was heard._

"Ahhhhhh! Curse you! And you! And you! Hugh Apiston!" Millard Nulling cried out, breaking the "silence" that was being provided to the orphanage. The mice dropped the cheese and ran back into their hole.

 _Who said that everything was going to stay silent forever?_

"Millard~" Hugh grinned, holding up a roll of tape, advancing upon Millard. Jacob and Enoch grinned evilly along with him, one holding a loop of thick rope and the other a giant box filled with some certain multicolored tools, all looking like a certain thing only men own. Hmmm…

"No. You're _not_. Hugh Apiston, this is the public!" Millard shouted, backing up. He felt something hard and cold stop him, and looking back, saw a light-blue colored wall dotted with white puffs of paint.

"Not really." Hugh stopped walking, but Enoch and Jacob continued surrounding Millard. "This is our house. I mean, I do know that everyone lives here with us, but technically the house is under _my_ name and the loop is established here."

"I can't believe you…you…" Millard gasped, his knees still weak. "Don't you _know_ too much of the herb would _really_ kill me?"

Hugh nodded. "I know. Which is why I've only used it today. Once. In the past three years. You normally participate without problems. Why must you have to give me such a hard time this time?" Hugh suddenly dashed forward, grabbing Millard's wrists.

"Hugh!"

"Sometimes my chest still hurts. I still can't believe I survived that surgery with your brutally snipping at my chest."

Millard's head dipped down, a red blush coming over his face.

"And don't you know? I must see this part. If I can't see your body anytime else, this part—this is when I need to see it. Because I swear you are never going to allow me to watch it again. Hmm?"

"Mmm." Unclear, but final. Hugh pulled off a tape piece and gently wrapped it around Millard's wrists. He gestured for Jacob to set down the case and for Enoch to pass him the rope as he undressed Millard. Enoch and Jacob left the room right after the handing over was done, deftly closing the door behind them.

"Hugh?" Millard asked, watching as Hugh ties one of his bare legs to the bedpost.

"Yes?"

"…It's going to be embarrassing, correct?"

"Yes."

"Okay."

"Are you alright?" Emma asked as she watched Millard limp down the hallway.

"Ughhh…" Millard groaned. "Where's Hugh? I gonna kill 'im…"

Emma looked at Jacob, who began to whistle and back away. His eyes drifted to the ceiling and he licked his lips nervously.

"Jacob? What did you do?"

"Nothing." It wasn't a lie— _he_ didn't do anything. He was only in charge of bringing in the case. _Hugh_ did everything.

Emma glared at Jacob.

"Jacob!" Jacob O' Connor's little voice rang out. Enoch followed after him, casually walking. One giant step covered a couple little steps at the pace of running.

"Jacob." Enoch tilted his head, acknowledging Jacob's presence. "Emma."

"Millard!' Hugh raced up to Millard, hugging him. Millard pounded on Hugh's head, but it had no effect what-so-ever.

Then a low humming sound started buzzing. Emma looked around, but there was nothing to be seen. Then young Jacob O' Connor grinned.

"They did it. They invented invisible bees."

Sorry this extra was so delayed and so…short. I have decided what my next fanfiction is going to be on –Oliver Wood and Marcus Flint. It's going to be a Flint x Wood (BTW they're from Harry Potter, but of course you already know that…). I'm going to call it _Opposites_ do _Attract._ Thank you for your support and all!

Puppet Painter


End file.
